Serving as temporary shelters to mountaineers, hikers and alpinists, mountain huts range from basic, rustic lodges in Alaska to high-tech, high-altitude havens in the Swiss Alps. Many of them, however, are also notable for being precarioulsy perched on vertigo-inducing locations. Here, we look at 20 of the most incredible mountain huts and refuges in spectacular settings.

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France's , a mountain refuge for climbers summiting Mont Blanc, is a pioneering hut in approach and design.The four-story, all-wooden, steel-encased, egg-shaped shelter took five years to design and three years to build. It is , generating heat and electricity on the front of the building and the cliff face, according to The Guardian. Part of the modern hut, which can accommodate 120 people, juts out from the cliff, over a 37,700 ft.drop.

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It may not have the modern amenities of the Gouter hut, but the Mint Hut, a gateway to Alaska's beautiful Talkeetna Mountains, is also located in a stunning setting. Built in 1971, it is a popular hut because of its , according to the Mountaineering Club of Alaska. Located at the headwaters of Little Susitna River, the hut serves as a comfortable rest stop on the Bomber Traverse or as a base camp to the assaults on the nearby granite peaks. It's also considered destination in itself.

View the slideshow above to see some of the world's most stunning mountain huts and refuges.

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